Lawn tractors and other grass mowing machines may have rear discharge/rear collection mower decks connected to material collection systems in which the blades throw cut grass clippings into a discharge and collection chute directed to a rear mounted collection container or hopper. Some material collection systems may include mechanisms designed to dump grass clippings from the collection container or hopper, in either a low dump configuration, or a high dump configuration (raised above the lawn tractor). Removal, storage and installation of material collection systems on lawn tractors can be difficult and time intensive because of the size and weight of these systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,992,373 entitles Lawn Mower with Grass Collecting Unit Support relates to a grass collecting unit that may be moved between a lowered grass collecting position and a high dump grass discharge position. The support includes left and right masts or vertical main frames extending substantially higher than the top of the operator seat in the grass discharging state, and a vertical pair of lift links extending rearwardly from the upper end portion of each mast or vertical main frame. A hydraulic lift cylinder extends between a lower portion of each mast or vertical main frame and the lower link of each vertical pair of lift links. The vehicle includes left and right support members, with each support member having an upper pin receiving opening and a lower pin receiving opening. Each lower pin receiving opening has a cutout profile in the form of a U-letter as viewed from a lateral side of the mower, with the parking support legs of the U-letter inclined rearward and upward. The grass collecting unit may be attached to the support members by lowering the support frame assembly and guiding a fixing connecting pin along the inclined parking support legs of the U-letter of the cutout profile. The grass collecting unit may be supported by a stand unit having a front stand body and a rear stand body that may be vertically pivoted about axes of connecting shafts between a stored position in which the stand unit extends under the bottom surface of the grass container and a use position in which the stand unit extends downwardly of the grass container. A connecting rod is attached to the front stand body and the rear stand body for interconnecting intermediate portions thereof.
There is a need for a material collection parking system having a low dump configuration, and a high dump configuration that provides unobstructed sight lines and rear visibility for the operator during rear collection on the lawn tractor. There is a need for a material collection parking system that is simple to move between a stowed position and a deployed position, and having a support unit that is easy to access and use.